It has been customary, in broadband microwave attenuators, as in mechanic arts generally, to use a springball detent mechanism to cause the rotatable part of the attenuator to stop in predetermined angular positions, see for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,209 to Robert M. Keranen, granted Apr. 16, 1974, for "Miniature Adjustable Attenuator". Detent mechanisms of the kind described in the aforesaid patent are extremely old, perhaps going back at least a century.
There are many electrical devices, such as broadband microwave attenuators, for example, in which the relation of one part to another is very critical and their relative positions must be accurately maintained. When the prior art detent mechanisms apply relatively large forces to such an electrical device over periods of years, there is a deterioration of accuracy. A main object of this invention is to overcome this difficulty.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved detent mechanism that is low in cost.
Another object of the invention is to provide a detent mechanism in which the forces are balanced when the rotatable part of the mechanism is rotated.
A further object of the invention is to provide a detent mechanism which has less wear than the detent mechanisms of the prior art.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a detent mechanism having a greater reliability than has heretofore been possible.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a detent mechanism in which less torque is required, to move the rotatable body out of its detented position, than has heretofore been required.
A further object of the invention is to provide a detent mechanism having special utility in combination with an electrical switch which has a multiplicity of angular positions into which it may be placed.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a detent mechanism which when employed in combination with a broadband microwave step attenuator provides improved characteristics.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as this description proceeds.